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| South African rhino horns turned radioactive to fight poachers | South African rhino horns turned radioactive to fight poachers |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Professor James Larkin, pictured with a rhino that had just been injected, says the process is completely safe | Professor James Larkin, pictured with a rhino that had just been injected, says the process is completely safe |
| South African scientists have launched an anti-poaching campaign in which rhino's horns will be injected with a radioactive material. | South African scientists have launched an anti-poaching campaign in which rhino's horns will be injected with a radioactive material. |
| The group, from the University of the Witwatersrand, said the process is harmless to rhinos but will allow customs officers to detect smuggled horns as they're transported across the world. | The group, from the University of the Witwatersrand, said the process is harmless to rhinos but will allow customs officers to detect smuggled horns as they're transported across the world. |
| South Africa has the largest rhino population in the world, and hundreds of the animals are poached there every year. | South Africa has the largest rhino population in the world, and hundreds of the animals are poached there every year. |
| The university's venture, called the Rhisotope Project, was launched on Friday after six years of research and testing. | The university's venture, called the Rhisotope Project, was launched on Friday after six years of research and testing. |
| "Our goal is to deploy the Rhisotope technology at scale to help protect one of Africa's most iconic and threatened species," said Jessica Babich, head of the Rhisotope Project. | "Our goal is to deploy the Rhisotope technology at scale to help protect one of Africa's most iconic and threatened species," said Jessica Babich, head of the Rhisotope Project. |
| "By doing so, we safeguard not just rhinos but a vital part of our natural heritage." | "By doing so, we safeguard not just rhinos but a vital part of our natural heritage." |
| Tests conducted in the pilot study, which involved 20 rhinos, confirmed that the radioactive material was not harmful to the animals. | Tests conducted in the pilot study, which involved 20 rhinos, confirmed that the radioactive material was not harmful to the animals. |
| "We have demonstrated, beyond scientific doubt, that the process is completely safe for the animal and effective in making the horn detectable through international customs nuclear security systems," said James Larkin a professor at Wits University who is also part of the project. | "We have demonstrated, beyond scientific doubt, that the process is completely safe for the animal and effective in making the horn detectable through international customs nuclear security systems," said James Larkin a professor at Wits University who is also part of the project. |
| The Wits University researchers, who collaborated with the International Atomic Energy Agency, found horns could even be detected inside full 40-foot (six-metre) shipping containers. | |
| Each year since 2021, more than 400 rhinos have been poached in South Africa, says conservation charity Save the Rhino. | |
| The horns of African rhinos are often exported to Asian markets were they are used in traditional medicine and also seen as a status symbol. | The horns of African rhinos are often exported to Asian markets were they are used in traditional medicine and also seen as a status symbol. |
| White rhinos are considered threatened, while black rhinos are critically endangered. | White rhinos are considered threatened, while black rhinos are critically endangered. |
| You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |
| World's first IVF rhino pregnancy 'could save species' | World's first IVF rhino pregnancy 'could save species' |
| Illegal trade booms in South Africa's 'super-strange looking' plants | Illegal trade booms in South Africa's 'super-strange looking' plants |
| PODCAST: Women in South Africa and Zambia protect wildlife from poachers | PODCAST: Women in South Africa and Zambia protect wildlife from poachers |
| Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. | Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. |
| Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica | Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica |